Feeling a bit off? Upset your body
less by finetuning these common culprits…
Coffee
The popular beverage raises blood
pressure and places a strain on your adrenal glands, which can leave you
feeling anxious and restless, warns nutritionist Dr. Gillian McKeith in her
book You Are What You Eat (Penguin, $29.95). She adds, “All-coffee –even decaf
– can stimulate skin ageing. It allso reduces the absorption of iron and zinc
by up to 50 per cent, which can compromise your immune system.”
Fix it: Try dandelion tea – it’s
energising yet caffeine-free.
Red meat
You don’t need to vegetarian just yet,
but studies have linked red meat to macular degeneration and bowel cancer. Not
Harvard University researchers claim that eating 100 grams of unprocessed red
meat daily (a portion about the size of a deck of cards) increases the risk of
type 2 diabetes by nearly 20 per cent; while 50 grams of processed red meat
daily think one sausage, or two pieces of bacon – boosts the risk by 50 per
cent.
Fix it: Avoid processed meats, stick
to chicken, turkey and fish and try a few meat-free meals a week.
Unsoaked beans
They’re packed with protein,
anti-oxidants and fibre, but stress the digestive system. “This is because the
enzymes needed to digest beans are in the large intestine and the by-product is
gas,” explains Natalie Kringoudis, a Chinese Medicine practicioner. Even
pre-cooked canned varieties can bloat sensitive stomachs.
Fix it: “Soak beans in water before
cooking or add vinegar and herbs, like coriander, anise or cumin, to canned
bean dishes,” she says.
Cow’s milk
Don’t cry over spilt milk – it
contains the protein casein, which is hard for humans to digest, explains Dr.
McKeith. “This is why cow’s milk can trigger allergic responses, such as
asthma, earache, runny nose, skin rash, lethargy and irritability.”
Fix it: Boil milk first to break down
the indigestible molecules, says Dr. McKeith, or choose goat’s milk, oat,
almond or rice varieties, or calcium-fortified soy instead.
Chillies
“Spices contain volatile oils, which
are capable of physically irritating the lining of the stomach,” points out Dr.
McKeith. “A very hot chilli or curry dish that contains a blend of pungent
spices can literally bore a hole in the stomach lining.”
Fix it: Use milder spices, like
paprika and cumin, instead, or eat yoghurt with chilli dishes to soothe a
burning tongue and stomach, advises Kringoudis.
